November 23rd information to help you and your business get through this.

Greetings!

We want to keep you updated with information that will help you and your business and hope you find these links useful.

Dining at Restaurants, Breweries, Wineries and Bars Restricted Amid Surge in Cases, COVID-19 Testing Sites Closed on Thanksgiving Day & #HereForTheHolidays Food Drive

As new COVID-19 cases remain at alarming levels and the number of people hospitalized continue to increase, the LA County Health Officer Order will be modified to restrict dining at restaurants, breweries, wineries and bars, effective Wednesday, November 25 at 10:00 p.m.

The Reopening Protocols, COVID-19 Surveillance Interactive Dashboard, Roadmap to Recovery, Recovery Dashboard, and additional things you can do to protect yourself, your family and your community are on the Public Health website, www.publichealth.lacounty.gov.

We encourage you to follow and monitor the Department of Public Health on social media for the most up to date information during the holidays.

COVID-19 Testing Sites Closed on Thanksgiving Day

All County operated testing sites will be closed on Thursday, November 26 due to the Thanksgiving holiday.

Residents who have a regular source of care should first seek testing from their healthcare provider if they are symptomatic or have a known positive exposure.

Those without a regular provider can call the County’s 2-1-1 information line for assistance.

Appointments at testing sites are required. LA County residents who would like to make an appointment or check for availability at testing sites offered in the County, including select CVS, Rite-Aid and other community-based testing sites should visit covid19.lacounty

It is best to stay home and celebrate with people who live in your household. Connect with friends and family you don’t live with using all of the technology that allows us to see and hear each other from afar. Other safe options include decorating your home inside and out and enjoying a drive around neighborhoods seeing others’ decorations. Please always think about your risk of being exposed in any situation – staying with only people you live with and visiting others virtually is the safest way to celebrate right now.

If you do choose to gather, closely following the guidance for private gatherings. Gather outdoors with no more than 2 other households, and a total of 15 people; wear face coverings unless eating or drinking and stay at least 6 feet apart. Do not share food or utensils, and limit the gathering to no more than 2 hours.

The fewer people you and your household have in-person contact with, the lower your risk of getting COVID19.

For more detailed holiday guidance, click here.

Reminder! If you are a small businesses, nonprofit organization of any size, or a U.S. agricultural business with 500 or fewer employees that have suffered substantial economic injury as a result of the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, you can still apply for the COVID-19 Economic Injury Disaster Loan.

Learn more

As you are aware, the Governor and the County of Los Angeles Department of Public Health issued a limited Stay at Home Order on Friday, November 20, 2020. Please see attached document. You can view the Health Officer Order online and can find other pertinent information by visiting the LA County COVID-19 website.

As noted by the State of CA, COVID-19 is increasing at alarming rates in California and we all need to do our part to stop the surge. As of November 21, 2020, it is required that all non-essential work and activities stop between 10PM and 5AM in counties in the Widespread (purple) tier, which includes LA County. Read more in the limited stay at home order.

We are reaching to you to clarify that this time limit does apply to Drive-in movies/performances, Drive-through displays, and outdoor museums (all which can currently continue as long as they are completed by 10 PM). It applies in the following ways:

1. All displays and events must be completed by 10:00 PM, no exceptions.

a. This may require earlier starts to events in order to avoid an event running past 10:00 PM.

b. Venue operators are responsible for ensuring the scheduling of events precludes an event extending past 10:00 PM.

2. We urge you to clear the venues of all staff by 10:00 PM.

a. It is understood that production crews may not be able to clear the venues by 10:00 PM as they work to tear down equipment and set ups.

b. In these cases, we urge venue operators to minimize the needed crew in order to accomplish load outs and release crew members as soon as they complete the tasks to which they were assigned.

3. Security staff at each venue are considered as essential and may remain on site according to the need set by venue management.

4. As a reminder, food sales and other sales are not permitted at Drive-through events. On-site, permitted food vendors may sell food at a Drive-in event, and must follow all requirements for Restaurants. People may bring their own food. No dining areas are allowed - food must be eaten inside cars.

In addition, the Los Angeles County Health Officer Order will be modified to restrict dining at restaurants, breweries, wineries and bars as the five-day average of new cases increased to more than 4000 cases. The modified order will take effect Wednesday, November 25, 2020 at 10:00 p.m.

· ACT NOW: Tell Congress: act now and help American businesses recover!

Send a message to your members of Congress: we need them to save the American economy before it’s too late.

Since the COVID-19 pandemic began over 65 million Americans have filed for unemployment and over 100,000 small businesses have closed for good.

Congress needs to act now and they need to act boldly to ensure that America’s businesses can retain and rehire staff, pay rent, adapt to new regulations and requirements, and pay their state and local taxes – in turn, getting our country back up and running.

Congress needs to hear from you! Click here to send a message now – it will only take a minute!

Thank you for taking action!

2 Ways to save with our Black Friday/Cyber Monday Programs!

It's been a challenging year for America's nearly 32 million independent businesses. Now more than ever, it's important to shop small and support small businesses on Saturday, November 28 and throughout the holiday season.

Learn more

Click here for details

Click here for a list of our non-profit members.

Superintendent Tony Thurmond Announces $420,000 in Grants to the Bridging the Digital Divide Fund to Benefit Students in Southern California

REMINDERS

Read the release.

Free WiFi Locator Tool Available in L.A. County!

L.A. County knows how important internet access is in the digital age. With an ongoing pandemic, more people are working and attending school virtually. We also understand that not everyone has affordable, reliable internet access available to them.

That's why the County has created a Free WiFi locator to help you get connected! Make sure to share this with your community to help them access this important service.

Getting your flu shot should be part of everyone’s annual routine. But this year, it’s more important than ever. Anybody can –– and should –– call your doctor, visit a pharmacy, or use VaccineFinder.org to track down resources and make an appointment to get vaccinated.

This year, though, the stakes for flu season are higher than before, and we are leaving no stone unturned. That’s why, this week, I launched a pilot program with the USC School of Pharmacy to bring flu shots directly to more Angelenos across the city in the weeks ahead.

Residents will be able to get their shots free of charge, with no appointments necessary. We kicked off this program at the Weingart East L.A. YMCA, and will have more sites coming soon.

Anyone with a confirmed COVID-19 case should wait to get a flu shot and stay in isolation. Those with COVID-19 symptoms should consult a medical professional before getting a flu shot.

To learn more about the program or find a location, please visit Coronavirus.LACity.org/FluShot.

Please do your part to keep our city safe and get your flu shot as soon as possible.

LA County is helping train businesses on the implementation of COVID-19 safety protocols through a no-cost online training course called the COVID-19 Safety Compliance Certification Program (CSCCP). Once completed, business owners receive a certificate, and window seal to display on their storefront, which can reassure employees and customers alike that the business is following COVID-19 infection control and physical distancing requirements.

If you have not yet completed the CSCCP course or want to learn more about it, visit publichealth.lacounty.gov/eh/covid19cert.htm. Help support your employees, customers, and community while on the Road to Recovery.

This fall, City Planning will host Planning 101 training sessions focusing on the topics of project and community planning. The annual Planning 101 series provides a general overview of the core functions of planning in Los Angeles and serves as an educational resource for anyone interested in learning more about participation in the land use process, especially residents, newly elected neighborhood council board members, and members of other community-based organizations.

In keeping with Mayor Eric Garcetti’s Safer at Home Order, this year’s training will be offered virtually to minimize and stop the spread of COVID-19. Attendees will be able to join by telephone or remotely, through GoTo video conferencing software.